The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-10-05

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beauty nay, though thou art lovely us the
night in all her stars, o Lady of the Night,
yet is IL me his wife whom he loves, and not
thee, and therefore do give thy life to him."
Sorais flushed up TO her eyes and said moth
ing and do not think that ever saw man
look more miserable than did Sir Henry Mt
that moment Somehow Nyleptha's way of
putting the thing, though true and forcble
enough, was not altogether pleasant
~ understood" stammered Curtis looking
at Good-"l understood that you were at
tached--eh-attacbed TOTO the Queen So
rails. | am--eh--not aware what them
short, the state of your feelings may be Just
now; but IL they happen TO he that way in
clined, it has struck me that-in short, it
might put satisfactory end to an unpleasant
business. The lady also has ample private
estates, where am sure she would be at lib
erty 10 live unmoested so far as We are con-
cerned, Ell, Nylepthal OF course | only sug
gestr
$50 far as am concerned" said Good, col
oring up, III am quite willing TO forget the
past; and il the Lady Of the Night thinks me
worth having will marry her tomorrow, or
when she likes, and try TO make her good
husband"
All eyes were now turned to Sorais, who
stood with that same slow smile upon her
beautiful face that | had noticed the first
time that ever saw her She paused "A little
while and cleared her throat, and then thrice
she courtesied low, once to Nyleptha, once TO
Curtis and once to Good and began 10 speak
in measured tones.
III thank thee, most gracious queen and
sister, for the loving kindness thou hast
shown me from my youth up, and especially
in that thou has been pleased to give my
person ana my tate as gift TO the Lord
Incubu--the king that is to be. May pros
perity, peace and plenty deck the life path OF
one so merciful and so tender even as flowers
do Long mayest thou reigr. o great and
glorious queen. and hold thy husbands love
in both thy hands, and many be the son enc
daughters of thy beauty And thank -.
my Lord lncubu-the king that is to bel
thank thee thousand times in that thou hast
been pleased to accept that gracious gift, and
to pass it on TO by comrade In arms and in
adventure, the Lord Bougwan. Surely the
act is worthy of thy greatness, my Lord
Incubu And now. lastly l thank thee also
my Lord Bougwan who in thy turn hast
deigned to accept me and my poor beauty,
thank thee thousand times, and will add
that thou art good and honest man, and
put my hand upon my heart and swear that
| would that / could say thee yea. And
now that | have rendered thanks to all in
turn"-and again she smiled-"I will add one
short word
"Little can ye understand of me, Nyleptha
and my lords, if ye know not that for m
there is no middle path that scorn your pit,
and hate we for il that | cast off your for
giveness as though it were a serpents sting
and that standing here, betrayed, deserted,
insulted and alone, | yet triumph over ye,
mock ye and defy ye, one and all, and thus ]
answer ye" and then of a sudden, before
anybody guessed what she intended to do, she
drove the little silver spear she carried IN her
hand into her side with such strong and
steady aim that the keen point projected
through her back, and she fell prone upon the
pavement.
Nyleptha shrieked, and poor Good almost
tainted at the sight, while the rest OF us
rushed toward her. But Sorais of the Night
lifted herself upon her hand and for moment
fixed her glorious eyes intently on Curtis
face, as though there were some message in
the glance, then dropped her head and sighed
and with a sob her dark yet splendid spirit
passed.
Well, they gave her royal funeral, ant
there was an end of her.
~ was month after the last act of the So
rails tragedy that there was great ceremony
In the Flower Temple, and Curtis was for
mally declared king consort of Zu-Vendis.
was too i'll to go myself, and, indeed, | hate
all that sort of thing with the crowds and
the trumpet blowing and banner waving, but
Good, who was there lin his full dress uni
form, came back much impressed, and told
me that Nyleptha had looked lovely, and Cur
It's had borne himself in right royal fashion,
and had been received with acclamations that
left no doubt as to his popularity Also he
told me that when the horse Daylight was led
along in the procession, the populace had
shouted "Macumazahn, MacumaZahn ~ till
they were hoarse, and would only be appeaseo
when he, Good, rose in his chariot and tolt
them that was too i'll to be present.
Afterwards, too, Sir Henry, or rather the
king, came to see me, looking very tired, and
vowing that he had never been so bored in
his life, but l dare say that that was slight
exaggeration. 1t is not in human nature that
a man should be altogether bored on such an
extraordinary occasion; and, indeed, as l
pointed out to him, it was a marvellous thing
that man who but little more than one short
year before had entered great country as an
unknown wanderer should today be married
to its beautiful and beloved queen, and lifted
amid public rejoicings to its throne, and
even went the length to exhort him in the fu
ture not to be carried away by the pride and
pomp of absolute power but always to strive
TO remember that he was first a Christian
gentleman, and next public servant. called
by Providence TO IA great and almost unpre-
cedented trust These remarks, which he
might fairly hive resented he was so good as